Grain gain helps offset coal and crude crash

In reporting U.S. rail traffic for the week ending June 18, 2016, the Association of American Railroads noted a large increase in grain shipments that partially offset substantial losses in coal and petroleum products.

The week’s 516,096 carloads and intermodal units were down 6.3% compared with the same week last year. Total carloads were 250,748, down 8.5% compared with the same week in 2015, while intermodal volume was 265,348 containers and trailers, down 4.2% compared to 2015.

Three of the 10 carload commodity groups posted an increase compared with the same week in 2015. They were grain, up 24.3% to 22,711 carloads; miscellaneous carloads, up 16.8% to 10,454 carloads; and motor vehicles and parts, up 0.1% to 18,700 carloads. Commodity groups that posted decreases compared with the same week in 2015 included petroleum and petroleum products, down 24.8% to 10,627 carloads; coal, down 20.6% to 75,606 carloads; and metallic ores and metals, down 8.9% to 22,944 carloads.

For the first 24 weeks of 2016, U.S. railroads reported cumulative volume of 5,773,236 carloads, down 13.3% from the same point last year; and 6,179,631 intermodal units, down 2.4% from last year. Total combined U.S. traffic for the first 24 weeks of 2016 was 11,952,867 carloads and intermodal units, a decrease of 8% compared to last year.

North American rail volume for the week ending Jun. 18, 2016, on 13 reporting U.S., Canadian and Mexican railroads totaled 334,723 carloads, down 9.3% compared with the same week last year, and 334,037 intermodal units, down 4.9% compared with last year. Total combined weekly rail traffic in North America was 668,760 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.2%. North American rail volume for the first 24 weeks of 2016 was 15,665,522 carloads and intermodal units, down 7.6% compared with 2015.

Canadian railroads reported 67,059 carloads for the week, down 13.2%, and 57,744 intermodal units, down 7.9% compared with the same week in 2015. For the first 24 weeks of 2016, Canadian railroads reported cumulative rail traffic volume of 3,062,509 carloads, containers and trailers, down 7.8%.

Mexican railroads reported 16,916 carloads for the week, down 4.1% compared with the same week last year, and 10,945 intermodal units, down 5.7%. Cumulative volume on Mexican railroads for the first 24 weeks of 2016 was 650,146 carloads and intermodal containers and trailers, down 0.2% from the same point last year.